Pumping system



D c- 2 1929- J. OLIPHANT ,7

PUMPING SYSTEM Filed Aug. 31. 1927 w V npenzor' 8 John 020,2272072/06 4mm liquiddischarging Patented Dec. 24, 1929 UNETE STATES PATENT orricsJOHN OLIIPI-IAINT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO SULLIVAN MACHINERYCOM- PANY, A CORPORATION 015 lvIASSACHUSETTS PUMPING SYSTEM Applicationfiled August 31, 1927. Serial No. 216,662.

My invention relates to pumping systems and more 1 particularly todisplacement pumps. 7

An object of myinvention is to provide an :improved pumping apparatus.Another object is to. providean improved pumping apparatus particularlyadapted for use in wells-'where the available static head is at timesinsufficient for 'efiicient air lift pump performance. Another'object isto provide pumping mechanism which may be operated either as adisplacement pump or as an air lift pump; Still another object is toprovide improved adjustable automatic controlling mechanism which maybe. varied to suit different operating conditions. These and otherobjects and advantages of my. invention will, however, subsequently morefully appear. I

In the accompanying drawings 1' have shown for-purposes of illustrationone form which my invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings,

Fig. 1 isa diagrammatic view of my improved pumpingsystem.

Fig.- 2is a view,- more or less diagramn'iatic, partly in section andpartly in elevation showing my improved control mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a central vertical section through the displacement barrel andassociated. parts in the well.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the pilot valve in theoppositeposition from that shown in Fig. 2.

In the illustrative embodiment of my'improved pumping system acompressor 1 is shown discharging air or other gas byway of a pipe '2 toa receiver-tank 3. A pipe 4 leads off from the receiver tank 3 forconducting compressed fluid past'the main valve 5 toa down pipe 6. Thevalve 5 is actuated to open or closed position by automatic mechanism tobe later described. Referring now to Fig. 3 adisplacement barrel 7 isshown disposed within a well casing 8, said displacement barrel havingtop and bottom members 9 and 10 which may be connected thereto byscrewthreads as-shown. In the top member 9 is fitted the air line 6 andthe i the bottom member 10 has connected thereto a tail pipe 12.Suitable check valves 13 and 1 1 herein of the ball and metal seat typepermit the liquid to flow into the displacement barrel and to bedischarged through the riser pipe. It will be understood that thespecific construction of the displacement barrel forms no part of thepresent invention and any well known form may be substituted for the oneillustrated. The discharge pipe 11 terminates in the usual umbrella top15, above a receiving basin 16.

The mechanism for periodically actuating the valve 5 to open and closedposition will now be described. As shown in Fig. 2 a de fiector pipe 17terminates at its upper end in an enlarged receiving opening 18 underthe umbrella top and discharges at its lower end into a bucket 19, andthis pipe is provided with any suitable regulating valve 20. The bucket19 is provided with an. outlet controlled by a second regulating valve21 and is suspended by any suitable means 22 from one end of a lever 28pivoted as at 24 to any suitable support. This lever 23 carries anadjustable counter-weight 25 on the opposite side ofthe pivot from thebucket 19, and has connected thereto a pilot valve 26 by means of asuitable link connection 27, said pilot valve in turn being operativelyconnected to the main valve. The pilot valve has three openings, thefirst of which is connected by a suitable pipe 28 controlled by aregulating valve 29 to the supply line pressure. The second opening ofthe pilot valve leads to the main valve by way of a pipe 30 while thethird opening is connected to the atmosphere at 31. The main valve is ofthe well known diaphragm type adapted to be held open by air pressureacting on the diaphragm 32 and held closed by any suitable mechanism (asby a weight or spring not shown). A passage 83 is provided in the pilotvalve for venting the lower end of the valve casing to atmosphere. Ifdesireda pressure reducing valve 34 may be employed in the line 28 toreduce the pressure for operating the control system.

The operation of my pumping eystemand canteen-tug. niechainism will aewbe dcscribed. The system is shown in operation in Fig. 2. hen it wasdesired to start the pump, the valve 29 was opened and pressure fluidtransmitted through the pipe 28 through pilot valve 26 to act on thediaphragm 32 and move and hold the main valve 5 in open position. Thebucket is not initially filled with liquid and the counter-weight 25therefore holds the pilot valve in its top position.

Pressure fluid being conducted through the down pipe 6, the check valve14 is seated by pressure, and the charge of liquid in the displacementbarrel is forced upwardly past the check valve 13 through the dischargepipe 11 and against umbrella top 15. Assuming that the regulating valveis open, a portion of the liquid being discharged and received by theenlarged upper end of the pipe 17 is transferred to the bucket 19. IVhenthe level of the liquid in the bucket 19 reaches a certain point itsweight will overcome the effect of the counter-balance weight and movethe pilot valve to its lower position as shown in Fig. 4:, thus closingcommunication between the pipes 28 and 30 and opening the space abovethe diaphragm 32 to the exhaust. The valve 5 is then closed, cutting oifthe pressure fluid, but the liquid continues to discharge for a certaininterval of time, thereby using the power medium expansively. After thedischarge of liquid has ceased the liquid in the bucket 19 will leak outpast the valve 21 and the counter-weight 25 will again actuate the pilotvalve to its top position and therefore open the main supply valve.During the interval of time that is required for the liquid to drain outof the bucket another charge has accumulated in'the displacement barrel7 and the pump is ready to complete another cycle of operations asdescribed.

It will be obvious that by regulating the valve 20 the time of cuttingoff the air supply may be varied so that the pressure fluid may be usedexpansively to the extent desired and at the same time the intervalrequired for filling the displacement barrel may be also varied tocomply with the characteristics of the well by the proper adjustment ofvalve 21. It will also be noted that by completely closing theregulating valve 20 the valve 5 is held in its open position andpressure fluid is continuously discharged through the down pipe 6 andthe pump would operate asan ordinary air lift pump. This feature is particularly' advantageous in wells where the available static head is attimes sufficient for efiicient air lift pump performance, while at othertimes the head and therefore the submergence of the foot piece ordisplacement barrel is so reduced that displacement pump operation ismore eflicient.

While I have in this application specifically described one form whichmy invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that thisform of the same is shown for purposes. of illustration and that theinvention may be modified and embodied in various other forms withoutdeparting from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a displacement pumping apparatus, a displacement barrel, means fordischarging liquid therefrom, means for intermittently v uously openoutlet therein for gradually discharging liquid therefrom, an adjustablecontinuously open regulating valve in said outlet, said regulatingvalves constituting means for timing the operation of the main valve.

2. In a displacement pumping apparatus, a displacement barrel, means fordischarging liquid therefrom including an umbrella discharge member,means for intermittently supplying actuating fluid to said barrelcomprising a supply line, a valve therein, means for normallymaintaining said valve in open position, and means for automaticallymoving the same to closed position, said last named means including apipe having one end received under the umbrella top for removing adefinite portion of the liquid discharged for the purpose of actuatingthe valve.

3. In a pumping'system, a displacement barrel, means for dischargingliquid therefrom, means for intermittently supplying actuating fluid tosaid barrel, comprising a supply line, a valve therein, means fornormally maintaining said valve in open position, a deflector memberarranged to receive a portion of the liquid discharged, a regulatingvalve therein, a bucket for receiving the liquid from said deflectormember, and means for moving said supply line valve to closed positioncontrolled by the quantity of liquid in said bucket, said bucket havingan outlet therein for gradually discharging liquid therefrom, a secondregulating valve in said outlet, said regulating valves constitutingmeans for timing the operation of the main valve, said first mentionedregulating valve adapted to be closed whereby the supply valve iscontinuously held open for operating the system as an air lift pump.

4. In a liquid pumping apparatus of the single unit displacement type, adisplacement barrel, means for conducting pressure fluid thereto andmeans for conducting liquid therefrom, means controlled by the liquidpumped for automatically cutting off the pressure fluid supply whenliquid has been discharged for a certain time interval, means forautomatically reopening the supply means a certain time interval afterthe discharge of liquid has ceased, and a plurality of adjustable meanswhereby said time intervals may be separately Varied to suit differentoperating conditions.

In testimony whereof I afl'ix my signature.

JOHN OLIPHANT.

